50% off Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, Third Edition (10-Volumes)

This discipline-defining encyclopedia serves research needs in numerous fields that are affected by the rapid pace
and substantial impact of technological change and is a must have for every academic library collection.
Expires 12/31/2016.

Abstract

Culture can be defined as the manifestation of “learned behavior consisting of thoughts, feelings and actions” (Hoft, 1996, p. 41) formed under the influences of social, biological, psychological, economic, and ecological environments over an extended period of time. But, as Hoft notes, culture is a complex subject encompassing many diverse concepts. By 1952, Kroeber and Kluckhohn (1963) had already identified 164 definitions of culture, ranging from “learned behavior” to “ideas in the mind,” “a logical construct,” “a statistical fiction,” and “a psychic defense mechanism,” and claimed that over 300 existed (p. 291). Culture is a product of learning (Hoebel, 1971; Murdock, 1965), varying from place to place and changing over time. Such changes are accelerated by various social exchanges, direct and indirect, among peoples. Creative processes or innovations diffuse through cultures, so times of rapid technological innovation are likely to see accelerated cultural change.